Tag: NBA All-Star Starters

Warriors without NBA All-Star Game starter for first time since 2014

The Golden State Warriors don’t have an NBA All-Star voted into the starting lineup of the game for the first time since 2014.

The Warriors have entered the past five consecutive NBA Finals, hanging three championship banners along the way— with that type of success comes popularity. Since 2013, the individuals who built Golden State’s championship run have enjoyed personal accolades. Members of Golden State have won awards like Defensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player, yet the most common nod has been an invite to the NBA’s All-Star Game.

In the 2019-20 season, with the Warriors record sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference, the All-Star recognition doesn’t come as easy. The NBA revealed the starters for the 2020 NBA All-Star game, and for the first time since 2014, the Golden State Warriors don’t have a player in the starting lineup.

For the Western Conference, Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), James Harden (Houston Rockets), Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers) and Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers) have been named as starters, leaving the Warriors on the outside looking in.

After a long layoff from All-Star participation, David Lee was named an All-Star reserve in 2013, the first Golden State Warrior to participate in the game since 1997.

Following Lee the next season, Stephen Curry started the next six All-Star games, with other Warriors like Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all getting invited to the game at times since 2014.

Injuries and the departure of Durant have limited Golden State’s ability to earn an All-Star call-up. However, even injured, Curry ranked in the top-10 of Western Conference guard voting throughout the process. D’Angelo Russell also listed in the top-10 of voting, yet it wasn’t good enough to earn a starting spot.

Golden State could still have the chance to send someone to Chicago for the 2020 edition of the All-Star game, as the reserves are announced on Thursday, January 30.